I was lucky enough to sit down with Judy Janec, Director of the Library and Archives at the JFCS Holocaust Center yesterday and learn more about her impressive efforts to educate about and preserve the memory of the Holocaust. I found the history of the organization and its dedicated staff both inspiring and a great example of what multilateral cooperation can achieve.

The opening of a Neo-Nazi bookstore outside a San Francisco synagogue in the 70s inspired local Holocaust survivors to build what has become a significant archival collection of oral and video testimonies, artifacts, diaries, yizkor books, primary documents, and much more. The Center has made great efforts to share their collection with other organizations including the Shoah Foundation, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Yad Vashem. And the library houses an impressive collection of rare and new books.

Morgan Blum, Director of Education, has spent the past nine years building the Center’s education programs. I was impressed by her description of the annual “Day of Learning,” during which hundreds of educators and students participate in diverse workshops centered on Holocaust education. The Center promotes advanced Holocaust study through its University Fellowship Program and Morris Weiss Scholarship.

Next time you come to San Francisco, make sure to stop by the JFCS Holocaust Center!